World Cup matches and other large-scale events occurring over the next several weeks are creating a headache for security officials in New York, who are busy preparing for worst-case scenarios.
Over the next eight weeks, the New York area will play host to eight World Cup matches — including the final on July 19 — and Sail 4th 250, a massive maritime celebration to mark the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding.
What You Need To Know
Dozens of city and state agencies gathered for a meeting of the Disaster Preparedness Commission on Wednesday as officials plan for a series of high-profile events
New York will host eight World Cup matches, Sail 4th 250 and the NBA Finals, which President Donald Trump said he plans to attend
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch informed police officers they’ll be required to work 12-hour shifts from July 1-7
“We’re combining Fleet Week with Sail 4th and FIFA and now, thankfully, we’ve got the Knicks as well,” said Terry O’Leary, the acting commissioner of the state’s Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services. “So this is going to tax our public safety infrastructure.”
On Wednesday, representatives of dozens of city and state agencies gathered at the Javits Center for a meeting of the Disaster Preparedness Commission, as officials plan for an unprecedented sequence of high-profile events. Their job is partly to anticipate any potential disruption, from terror attack to disease outbreak to extreme weather.
“It’s important that less than 20 days out, that it’s all hands on deck and everyone is talking to each other,” said Justin Brannan, the senior director of major event operations for Gov. Kathy Hochul.
Hochul also addressed the topic at an unrelated news conference.
“From my cybersecurity experts to my homeland security experts, my emergency management experts, my traffic experts have been gathering with great regularity, table-topping all the exercises and gaming out all the scenarios,” she said.
Hochul was responding to a question about another complicating factor: the Knicks. Game 6 of the NBA Finals, if necessary, would be held on June 16 at Madison Square Garden, the same day as a France vs. Senegal World Cup match. Hochul said New York is prepared.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, in a memo Wednesday, notified police officers they’ll be required to work 12-hour shifts for at least the first week of July, citing the “unprecedented demands on our department.”
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, confirmed he plans to attend a finals game at the Garden.
“It doesn’t affect what I do,” Hochul said when asked about Trump attending a game. “My job is to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Brannan said interagency and interstate coordination is key.
“All of this is the highest level security,” he said. “We’re talking the FBI, Secret Service, NCIS. I mean, it really is all hands on deck. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime summer, and we’re not exaggerating. We have a lot of things happening at once. And we want New Yorkers to know that we’re worrying so they don’t have to worry.”